Energy Efficiency and Everyday Living: Results From the CEESEN-BENDER Study

A new analysis from the CEESEN-BENDER project examines the relationship between energy renovations in multi-apartment buildings and housing conditions and energy poverty across five Central and Eastern European pilot areas. Energy renovations are often discussed in technical or economic terms, but their everyday impact on residents - and their implications for housing policy - are just as important.

In 2024, the Center for Applied Social Sciences (CASS) conducted a study in different cities in Central and Eastern Europe: Čakovec (HU), Tartu (EE), Warsaw (PL), Alba Iulia (RO), and Ptuj (SI). These pilot areas, represented by project partners, all include neighbourhoods with panel buildings constructed between 1945 and 1991, which now face renovation needs. In Tartu, for example, areas of Karlova and Annelinn were analysed. Overall, the aim was to compare residents’ experiences in renovated and unrenovated buildings, highlighting differences in comfort, perceived efficiency, and affordability pressures.

In total, more than 2,000 participants across five pilot sites. While renovations generally improve thermal comfort and reduce structural defects, the findings show that financial stress and participation gaps in decision-making persist across sites.

To learn more about the survey and its results, read the full article.

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